Tuesday, April 24, 2007

no diet zone

In the interest of continuing to avoid work, something I've done to perfection since I got back Monday morning, I'll throw this out in response to Tony's question as to whether "no diet" means abandoning health and fitness.

The short answer is no, but I cannot, of course, stop there. The longer answer is this: I have lost and regained and lost and regained and lost and freakin' regained the same 10-12 pounds for the last I don't know how long. Five, six months, maybe longer. Up down on off over under out of bounds and I am sick of it. Sick. Of. It.

One meeting with the eating disorders counselor before I left was sufficient to remind me of things I know to be true. One of those truths is that there are times in life when it's best not to attempt to lose weight. That doesn't mean to start eating hell for leather, but just to back off and let it be for a while. I am reminded, too, that I've gained buckets of weight "starting tomorrow" (with the requisite feast the night before).

I've been beating my head against the wall of this 10 pounds and it's completely discouraging. I feel great about myself, I'm happy and content if not for this chronic frustration. In giving myself permission not to start a diet every morning, my whole attitude changes and I find myself more motivated to do the things I know will keep me healthy: eating right, working out, reducing stress. And, strangely, I eat less overall.

So there it is: I am not dieting, but I am eating healthy and working out. Oh, and I'm weighing every day. That's a mandatory task of maintenance for me. It keeps me accountable and on track and provides instant feedback to my behavior. The feedback so far is down a couple of pounds.

6 Comments:

Blogger evilganome said...

Lynette, I just want you to know I fully support you in your decision to avoid work as much as possible. You go girl.

April 25, 2007 4:01 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

hehe!!! I fully support tony's full support in your decision to avoid work... You sound like a well adjusted, healthy, well rested woman. Cheers darlin'!

April 25, 2007 6:53 AM  
Blogger Vashta Narada said...

This sounds very similar to how I view what I do, and I think it gives me a much more positive mind frame. I'm not "dieting", I'm creating a healthy lifestyle.

When I overhear someone say "Andrea's dieting" it makes me cringe. I immediately associate the word diet with some fad, some pill, some program you pay a wad of cash to do. This isn't what I'm doing, and for some reason I resent it that people think I am. I've changed my life, almost entirely on my own (with the help of a few books and a therapist), and I suppose I want credit for that. Egos are silly things sometimes.

April 25, 2007 7:53 AM  
Blogger Bea said...

Yes, yes, yes. Imagine me jigging around my computer chair. Great post.

April 25, 2007 12:14 PM  
Blogger dpaste said...

How wrong you are! Eating properly IS a diet. People always assume a diet is some extreme short-term eating process. A diet is a bunch of eating guidelines that you adopt for the rest of your life. It has to be sustainable, sensible and doable. And it sounds like you are doing just that. You didn't give up, sweetheart, you embraced it.

I bet you will find longterm rewards from this.

April 26, 2007 10:20 AM  
Blogger Vic said...

Be as kind to yourself as others and that dratted 10 lbs won't matter. Of course, it also helps to wear an elastic waistband, as I found out to my regret on vacation. Did you know you can gain weight from eating Chinese food?

Well, meet Ms. Dim Sum Dumpling, aka Place

April 28, 2007 12:15 PM  

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